Optical Coherence Tomography, OCT, has the potential to speed and simplify diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma, BCC, is the most common form of skin cancer and the most frequently occurring form of all cancers.
Diagnosis of BCC usually involves the taking of a skin biopsy by a dermatologist, who will then send the sample to a lab for analysis. Unfortunately, the results from these biopsies typically take several weeks to be reported back to the patient, so the start of any treatment is delayed and the patient left to worry.
An article in University of Maastricht’s “Observant” newsletter interviews Professor Klara Mosterd and highlights how the use of VivoSight Optical Coherence Tomography, OCT, skin imaging can speed and simplify the present diagnostic process. The number of patients requiring invasive biopsies can be reduced by 65% and topical treatment for many BCCs can be commenced then and there.
“Its’ widespread adoption could save considerable time and resources.”
Recognising the benefits of this new approach, the article comments that OCT imaging will soon be included in the Dutch guidelines for BCC diagnosis, and its’ cost-saving benefits are being recognised by Health Insurance companies.
Readers in the USA should note that use of VivoSight OCT for diagnosis of BCC has not been cleared by the FDA.
